Xarelto May Cause Strokes

Xarelto, a blood thinner manufactured by Bayer and marketed by Janssen (a division of Johnson & Johnson), is one of the few alternatives to Coumadin. The purpose of prescribing Xarelto or other blood thinners is to reduce the risk of a blood clot. Blood clots can cause a heart attack, pulmonary embolism, and even a stroke. With more than 18,000 lawsuits currently claiming that Xarelto caused unexpected bleeding and other serious side effects, several more plaintiffs have filed lawsuits alleging that Xarelto caused a stroke in the patient.

How Does Xarelto Cause a Stroke?

How can Xarelto, a drug often prescribed to reduce the risk of stroke, cause one to happen? Some Xarelto plaintiffs allege that the use of the drug caused them (or their loved one) to suffer from an ischemic stroke. An Ischemic stroke occurs when there is an obstruction of some sort in a blood vessel that provides blood to the brain.

Other plaintiffs allege that Xarelto caused a hemorrhagic stroke. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when there is bleeding in the brain. One plaintiff, Joseph Orr, lost his wife, Sharyn Orr after she suffered a hemorrhagic stroke after taking Xarelto. She was in a coma for ten days before dying.

There are at least two other plaintiffs alleging the death of loved ones as a result of a hemorrhagic stroke. Ruth McGowan filed a lawsuit because of the death of her father, Thomas Dunkley. Dunkley was taking Xarelto to reduce his risk of stroke. Unfortunately, he suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and died about a month after starting the drug.

Frank Peck filed after his wife, Ann Peck, died about a month starting Xarelto. Mrs. Peck died on May 4, 2013, after suffering from internal bleeding and a hemorrhagic stroke. Mr. Peck alleges that the defendants continue to market the drug and promote it as safe despite its problems.

Xarelto Strokes: There’s No Antidote

While a stroke is dangerous regardless of what, if anything, caused it, Xarelto strokes are alarming for two distinct reasons. First, the drug itself is designed, in part, to reduce the risk of strokes. Second, unlike Coumadin, there’s no antidote to unexpected bleeds of any sort. You read that right. Despite being approved by the FDA in 2011, there is no antidote for unexpected bleeding caused by Xarelto.

Xarelto Stroke Lawsuits Join 19,000 Other Plaintiffs

As of November 2017, there were more than 19,000 Xarelto lawsuits pending in court as multi-district litigation. There are also hundreds of Xarelto lawsuits that were filed at the state level. Recently, a $28 million verdict was awarded in Pennsylvania. Lynn Hartman, the plaintiff, alleged that taking Xarelto caused her to be hospitalized and required several blood transfusions because of her internal bleeding.

Are You Eligible to File a Xarelto Stroke Lawsuit?

If you or someone you love suffered a stroke as a result of using Xarelto, you may be entitled to file a lawsuit. Goldwater Law Firm provides free case evaluations regarding Xarelto strokes. To learn whether you’re eligible to file a Xarelto stroke lawsuit, contact Goldwater Law Firm now.